Too Damn Good
by wedontstandachance
Summary: Daryl reflects on his time with Beth to Rick. Rick realizes that maybe there is something about their time together that Daryl isn't telling him. Bethyl BethXDaryl


**A/N: Just a short piece about Daryl telling Rick what really happened with Beth. Comments appreciated!**

"So," Rick said quietly, "what actually happened to Beth?"

He and Daryl were sitting in front of their small campfire. Carl and Michonne were sitting across from them, asleep. Michonne was propped up against a tree with Carl's head resting in her lap. He hadn't strayed far from her side since their encounter with Joe's group. Considering what had almost happened and what _had happened, _what he had done, Rick thought that was understandable. He didn't regret it though. He would do whatever was necessary to protect his son, no matter how savage it might be.

When he spoke he lifted his eyes from the fire to look a Daryl. From Daryl's reluctance to answer earlier, Rick knew that it was something he didn't want to talk about, but he had to know. A few hours ago he, Carl, and Michonne were the only people to make it out of the prison as far as he knew. Now he found out that Daryl and Beth had made it out as well. But Beth wasn't here anymore and he needed to know why. She was part of their family and after all she had done to help him take care of Judith after Lori's death, he considered her to be somewhat like a daughter.

Daryl continued to stare at the fire as if he hadn't heard his question, but Rick could tell by the set of his jaw and hardness in his eyes that he had. They sat in silence as Rick waited for Daryl's answer. It was a long time before he finally spoke.

"She was taken," he said hoarsely. He refused to meet Rick's eyes.

Rick knit his eyebrows together, "By who?"

"Dunno," Daryl said, shaking his head slightly.

Rick stayed silent, waiting for him to elaborate.

"Beth hurt 'er ankle. She stepped on a trap in the woods on accident when I was teachin' 'er to use my crossbow," he smiled slightly at the memory.

Rick raised an eyebrow slightly at that. No one ever used Daryl's crossbow except him.

"We was stayin' in this house, a funeral home, 'cause she needed to rest it. It was clean like someone was still tendin' to it. There was a whole buncha food in the cupboard too."

He stopped and closed his eyes like he was in pain, then continued.

"We thought maybe someone was livin' there and they'd just went out on a run or somethin'. It was a trap. I shoulda realized that. There was a dog that came by the house earlier in the day. I knew Beth wanted it to come inside so when we heard moving outside the house that night I figured it was the damn dog. I opened up the damn door to a buncha Walkers," he shook his head. "So goddamn stupid. I told 'er to run and said I'd meet her outside. I got out there just in time to see some car hauling ass outta there. I ran after it, but I was too slow. I lost the trail. That's when I met up with Joe's group."

He never lifted his eyes from the fire as he spoke.

Rick mulled over his new information for a few moments. He wondered who had taken Beth and what they wanted with her. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. Rick hated to think it, but Beth was most likely dead. That's just how it was these days.

He could see the pain and guilt in Daryl's eyes; he could hear it when he spoke.

"I'm sorry," he said. That was all he could say. He didn't bother telling him that it wasn't his fault. He knew he'd never accept that.

Daryl nodded slowly. Rick didn't expect him to say anything else on the matter and was surprised when he began to speak again.

"We was good," he said almost forcefully. "I thought we was the last two left from the prison. Beth believed ya'll could still be alive but she's so god dammed optimistic 'bout everythin'. We coulda stayed in that house and lived there. I even suggested that we should. It was nice. We was happy. _I _was happy."

Rick looked at him, surprised. He'd rarely witnessed Daryl express so much emotion willingly, and over Beth Greene nonetheless.

"Things don't seem to go are way much anymore," he replied.

Daryl laughed bitterly, "No they don't, do they?" He leaned back on his palms, and lifted his head to stare at the stars. "You should get some sleep. I'll take watch."

"Yeah, okay," Rick said. He knew there was no way Daryl was getting any sleep tonight. He shifted his body down, trying and failing to get comfortable.

After a few moments of silence Rick heard Daryl mumbling.

"Too damn good for this world. Didn't deserve her. Too damn good."

Rick didn't reply, knowing that that statement was most likely not meant for his ears. He fell asleep realizing that maybe Daryl wasn't just mourning the loss of a friend.

**A/N:Thanks for reading! Comments appreciated.  
and BTW who else is ready for Beth to come back next season and be a fucking badass because I know I am lol**


End file.
